Person Page

     Philip Phelps was born before 1755 in Massachusetts.^2,3 He married Catherine Moss, daughter of (?) Moss.^1,2 He died at over 80 years of age.²
     He served in the Revolutionary War for five years, and was a ranger scout under Capt. Moss.^1,2 He was a farmer.² He was living in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, during the census of 1790, and his household had one male 16 or over, five males under 16, and two females.⁴
     In the 1800 census in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, his household was listed with one male over 45, two males under 10, two males 10-15, two males 16-25, one female over 45, four females under 10, and two females 16-26.⁵ He is again listed in Blandford in the 1810 census, with one male over 45, three females 10-15, and one female over 45.⁶
     On 14 March 1799 he purchased 60 acres of land in Blandford from William Crooks for $430. The tract is described as part of Lot No. 27, "beginning at a small beach tree with stones about it, it being the northeast corner of John Boies' lands, then eastwardly on the south line of Elisha Walker's land one hundred rods to a stake with stones, then southwardly ninety rods to a stake with stones, then westwardly one hundred rods to a stake with stones, then northwardly to the first mentioned bounds ...." Lot 27 is about four miles south of Blandford, in the area of Beech Hill.^7,8
     On 1 March 1802 he and four others were named tythingmen in Blandford.⁹ On 15 July 1802, he filed a complaint saying that eleven days earlier, on Sunday the fourth of July, Rhodolphus Bancroft of Granville "with force and arms did willfully interrupt and disturb an assembly of people then and there meet for the public worship of God in Evil Example to others in like mind to offend against the Peace and dignity of the Said Commonwealth." Rhodolphus Bancroft was fined $1.00 plus costs.¹⁰
     He and his wife Catherine moved to St. Lawrence Co., New York, about 1811.^11,12

     Catherine Moss was born before 1755.³ She married Philip Phelps.^1,2 Calvin Phelps's obituary says his mother died during the family's move to New York in 1811. However, the Portrait & Biographical Album says his mother Catherine Moss died at age 70.^2,4
     She and her husband Philip moved to St. Lawrence Co., New York, about 1811.^4,5

     He served in the Revolutionary War.^1,2

     David Phelps was born in 1780 (or about 1783, according to his reported age in the 1860 census) in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.^2,3,4 He was married by Jedediah Smith, Justice of the Peace, to Mary Woolridge on 17 October 1804 in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Their intentions of marriage had been published in September 1804.^2,5,6 He died on 18 September 1870 on his son Luther's farm in Markeson, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin (Phelps and Servin say he died in DeKalb, St. Lawrence Co., New York).^2,4
     Sometime between 1816 and 1818 (based on the birth places of their children) David Phelps and his wife Mary moved from Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, to St. Lawrence Co., New York, and farmed near David's brothers Luther, Asa, and Elihu.⁴ Sometime in the 1850s they moved to Markeson, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin, where their son Luther had settled.⁴

     Mary Phelps was born about February 1794 (based on her age at death of 73 years, 8 months) in Massachusetts.² She married (?) Hutchinson.^3,2 She was "killed by the [railroad] cars", on 23 October 1867 on Poget Road in Emmett, Calhoun Co., Michigan.^2,3
     Her death record lists her parents as Philip and Easter Philips.²

     Phebe Phelps married (?) Brown.²
     She lived in New York.²

     (?) Phelps married (?) Ives.²
     She lived in New York.²

     Asa Phelps was born on 31 March 1792 in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.^2,4,5,3 He married first Maria Stiles, daughter of Ephraim Stiles and Esther Moseley, on 9 March 1817 in Russell, St. Lawrence Co., New York.^2,4,6,5 He married second Rachel Shaw on 22 September 1836 in Edwards, St. Lawrence Co., New York. They were married by Asa's brother Elihu, a Justice of the Peace.^2,5 He died on 3 April 1875 in Emmett Twp., Calhoun Co., Michigan, at age 83. (The compilation Soldiers of the War of 1812 Who Died in Michigan has his death date as 6 August 1875, but this is likely wrong. A pension application filed by his widow three years after his death has his death date as 4 April 1875.) On the morning of the day he died, he remarked to his family that he hadn't had such a good night's sleep in a long time. In the afternoon, he played with his grandchild, then went to his room, and was last seen reading the Bible.^3,2,4,5 He was buried on 6 April 1875 at Oak Hill Cemetery (Lot 46, Rt. 4) in Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., Michigan.^7,5,8
     He served in the War of 1812 as a private in Capt. Moses A. Bunnel's and Capt. Elisha Griffin's detached Companies of New York militia, Lt. Col. Thomas B. Benedict's Regiment. He enlisted at Russell, St. Lawrence Co., New York, on 26 June 1812, and was paid $6.66/month. He was officially discharged at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., on 30 December 1812.
     He applied for bounty land under the Congressional Act of 28 September 1850, and received two land warrants. One of these warrants, for 80 acres in Minnesota, was transferred to his son Charles sometime between 1850 and 1855. On 16 September 1857, he also applied for an award based on his service, and received $73.00. He later applied for a pension under the Congressional Act of 14 February 1871, and received $8.00/month.^{2,9,4,10,11,12,5}
     After the war ended, he moved back to Blandford, Massachusetts, where he stayed for about a year.⁵ About 1814 he returned to St. Lawrence Co., New York, living in the vicinity of the towns of Russell and Edwards.⁵
     Before his first marriage, to Maria Stiles, he served an apprenticeship as a tanner, but never followed the trade.¹¹ After his marriage he bought a tract of land in the wilderness of Russell, St. Lawrence Co., New York, and did well for a while. Then he suffered a reversal, and had to start over with his wife and four children.² In 1834, after struggling for several years with no success in New York, the family moved to Bellevue, Eaton Co., Michigan. They traveled by wagon as part of a family party, taking four weeks via Canada.^2,4,11,5,13
     He had joined the Methodist Church in 1820, and in 1834 was ordained as a Methodist minister by Bishop Elijah Harding. He later preached the first sermon by a Methodist minister in Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., Michigan.^2,11 He organized a Methodist class in the spring of 1836, which absorbed an existing one formed in 1834, and became the first church in Calhoun County. Besides himself, the members were Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hinchman, Miss Theodosia Clark, and afterwards Mrs. Cranston and Mrs. John Wentz. Services were initially held in a log school house built in 1834. A church was built later, in 1859.^14,2,11 In 1843 he joined the Wesleyan church, after becoming dissatisfied with the position of the Methodist church on slavery.² (Politically, he was an abolitionist).²
     After their marriage, he and his second wife Rachel lived in Emmett Twp., Calhoun Co., Michigan, where he owned 140 acres in the northern half of Section 9.^2,5,15 They are listed in the census of 1850 in Emmett Twp., Calhoun Co., Michigan, with the surname "Phillips." Also listed are Silas, Charles, and Julia (from Asa's first marriage to Maria Stiles), and Asa, Nancy C., Rachel L., and Lindon R. "Phillips" (presumably Asa and Rachel's children). The occupation of Asa Sr., Silas, and Charles is listed as farmer. The value of Asa's real estate is given as $1700, and he is listed as "insane" (perhaps meaning senile).¹⁶ He and Rachel are also listed in Emmet Twp. in 1870, with their children Rachel and Lyndon. His occupation is listed as "farmer." His real estate was worth $5000, and his personal property $660.¹⁷
     He had 13 children, according to Pioneer Collections, Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan, Vol 5, of whom two died as infants, one in early youth, and one for his country. The book Soldiers of the War of 1812 Who Died in Michigan, by Alice Turner Miller, says he had 9 children by Maria Stiles and 13 by Rachel Shaw. This is obviously an error, with 13 being the total with both wives.^2,18

More Information / Background

• De Kalb's Own General: Thomas Benedict.
  

     Jonathan Phelps was married by Jedediah Smith, Justice of the Peace, to Jane Alderman on 7 January 1802 in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.^2,3,4

     Elihu Phelps lived in Russell, St. Lawrence Co., New York.² He officiated at the wedding of his brother Asa Phelps and Rachel Shaw on 22 September 1836 in Edwards, St. Lawrence Co., New York.^3,4

     Mary Woolridge was born in 1778 in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.^1,2 She was married by Jedediah Smith, Justice of the Peace, to David Phelps, son of Philip Phelps and Catherine Moss, on 17 October 1804 in Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Their intentions of marriage had been published in September 1804.^1,3,4 She died on 10 November 1857 on her son Luther's farm in Markeson, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin.^1,2
     She also went by the name "Polley."⁴ Sometime between 1816 and 1818 (based on the birth places of their children) she and her husband David moved from Blandford, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, to St. Lawrence Co., New York.² Sometime in the 1850s they moved to Markeson, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin, where their son Luther had settled.²

     (?) Hutchinson married Mary Phelps, daughter of Philip Phelps and Catherine Moss.^1,2 He died before 23 October 1867.²

     (?) Brown married Phebe Phelps, daughter of Philip Phelps and Catherine Moss.¹

     (?) Ives married (?) Phelps, daughter of Philip Phelps and Catherine Moss.¹

     Lyndon K. Phelps was born on 27 November 1845 in Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., Michigan.^2,5,6 He married Desdelena Jenkins, daughter of Peter Jenkins and Mary Brower.^2,5 He died on 5 January 1919 in Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., Michigan, at age 73 from exhaustion, with liver cancer as a contributing factor.^2,5 He was buried on 7 January 1919 (Lot 46, Rt. 7) at Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., Michigan.^7,8
     He attended school for a time, and was later tutored by his brother Silas.⁵ Until about 1882 he was a farmer in Calhoun Co., Michigan.⁵ He moved to Battle Creek in 1882, where he worked as a carpenter for six or seven years.⁵ About 1889 he built a general mercantile store in Verona (now part of Battle Creek), and continued to run it until about 1909.⁵ He ran as a Prohibition candidate for Circuit Court Comm. in the election of 4 November 1884, and was defeated.⁵ On 28 March 1904 he bought the Chas. E. Landon residence at 42 N. Mich. for $1650.⁵

     Almon Phelps lived in Nebraska.¹